No Gucci, No Louis Vuitton” — Ramathuba warns new councillors

Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has issued a blunt warning to newly elected councillors: don’t arrive thinking you have arrived.

Delivering her results acceptance speech during the IEC’s 2026 Local Government Elections results announcement and gala dinner at The Ranch Resort outside Polokwane on Monday evening, Ramathuba said the next five years cannot be business as usual.

> “We don’t want to see you walking around in designer clothes, buying Gucci and Louis Vuitton because you think you have arrived.”

“If a businessperson wants to buy you those luxury items, tell them to rather help clean the streets, fix potholes, drill boreholes and ensure that your communities have access to water.”

“We don’t want to see you at Diamond Walk buying Gucci and Louis Vuitton because you now feel you have arrived as a councillor.”

Ramathuba cautioned councillors against becoming obsessed with being called “councillor so-and-so” or “executive mayor so-and-so. This is not the time to be excited about being referred to as councillor so-and-so or executive mayor so-and-so.The only thank-you party you can organise for the people who voted for you is service delivery,” said the Premier.

She said the election results carried a clear message from residents about what they expect: reliable water, better roads, employment, economic development, and consistent communication between communities and their leaders.

“It is your responsibility to ensure that the road in the area where you live is tarred. That is part of your responsibility,” she said.

Ramathuba pointed to Ward 23 Councillor “Bazooka” as the example she wants to see — celebrating his victory not with a party, but by returning to his community and mobilising a donor to drill a borehole in response to a concern raised during door-to-door campaigning.

“This is the expected behaviour from all councillors over the next five years,” said Ramathuba.

 

Ramathuba has previously acknowledged Limpopo’s persistent challenges — unemployment, water shortages and poor roads — and pointed to provincial interventions in Waterberg, Lephalale, Vhembe, Greater Giyani, Tzaneen and Polokwane, including the Premier’s War Room on water and rehabilitated boreholes.

Her message on Monday was simple: the title is not the reward. The work is.